1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ratchet wrench having a ratchet head, a pivotal arm and a locking pin for securely locking or unlocking the arm to the ratchet head. In the unlocked position the ratchet head can be rapidly rotated by manipulating or maneuvering the arm to secure or remove a loosely fitted bolt or fastener. In the locked position, the device is used in the manner of a conventional ratchet wrench to torque the bolt or nut in either direction. When the bolt or nut is in a restricted location or the arm encounters an obstruction the arm can be unlocked and then rotated to any position about the ratchet head or away from the obstruction and then relocked for torquing the bolt or nut.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to construct a ratchet so that the head or shank of the ratchet can be rotated rapidly. It is also known that such a feature can be employed with a second feature that allows for the conventional torquing of a bolt by an adjustment of the wrench. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,186 to Gummow relates to a ratchet wrench composed of a wrench body having a shank, a handle and a pivot pin. The handle is connected to the wrench body through the pivot pin. By moving the pivot from an initial downward locking position to the up position the wrench handle can be moved from a position where it is locked against angular movement with respect to the wrench body to a clearing position. In this position the wrench body may be freely rotated about the pivot pin.
Although the ratchet wrench embodied in the '186 patent allows for the rapid rotation of its head and shank to rapidly loosen a nut or bolt, the device is incapable of rapid rotation where it is desired to quickly rotate a bolt in an area not easily accessible. Where the bolt is in a particularly tight or close quarter position, the pivot pin mechanism of the '186 patent must still be raised by the users hand. The position of the bolt in such a case may make the adjustment impossible, and thus the desired rapid rotation impossible. Additionally, it would appear that the mechanisms pivot pin may slip during use, frustrating attempts to remove the nut.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to eliminate the deficiencies of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ratchet wrench whose arm can be operated in a first mode to rapidly spin a bolt or nut on and off its mating structure and which can be operated in a second conventional mode to torque the bolt or nut.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a ratchet wrench whose arm can be easily maneuvered away from an obstruction without the user having to resort to holding the spanner or socket during such motion.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a ratchet wrench whose arm can operate in one or the other of fast or conventional modes as described above, which additionally includes means where either mode may be changed by a user in an easy and quick manner even where the bolt or nut is positioned in a restricted access area.